suffering & solitude

What are the key qualities of wise people - "sages." I've run into a few lately & have wondered . . . What makes them tick? Why do they have a palatable inner peace that you can personally experience through them? Why do we listen to them & take their advice so seriously?

There's a quality to what they're saying that you just can't find in others . . . I started wracking my brain wondering, "what's the common denomator?" After considerable time, I think it's the combination of suffering & solitude. Anyone wanna sign up? Doesn't sound all that fun, right?

Seriously, what makes people (usually a bit older & not the image of perfect "beauty") so worth being around? I really think it's the fact that they've been through some stuff - crazy stuff, painful stuff, excruciating difficult stuff. Maybe death, loss, depression, sadness etc. But that's not enough. Everyone experiences suffering.

It's the fact that they take it one step further - they take their suffering into that quiet place of reflection & become changed. Let's call it solitude. They don't simply press on, work harder & stuff the pain. They sit in the pain & become transformed.

Look at the flip side. Ever met someone who's been through some really painful stuff, but they just press on as if nothing has happened? Being around them is nutty - they're a flurry of activity. They repeat the same old stuff that STILL hasn't gotten them anywhere. They work harder & run faster. But are they any wiser? Or are they simply avoiding the pain? Are they trying to run so fast that they can't see what's inside?

So since we all will experience suffering, what if we took it to the next level?